Dec. 30, 2012

Brown County Humane Society volunteer Terri Leuerman pampers cats that are up for adoption at the Bay Area Humane Society in Green Bay. / Lukas Keapproth/Press-Gazette Media

Brown County Humane Society volunteer Terri Leuerman goes through his afternoon routine of petting and playing with cats that are up for adoption at the Bay Area Humane Society in Green Bay. / Lukas Keapproth/Press-Gazette Media

Terry Lauerman

Volunteer for: Bay Area Humane Society for the past year. He works with the center’s cat population. Nominated by: Brittany Meister, volunteer and education coordinator. Nomination letter: “Terry volunteers at the shelter every day and helps find our cats forever, loving homes. Terry has such a passion for the cats that he has volunteered 734 hours of his time this year.”

Terry Lauerman doesn’t waste time when he arrives for his shift at Bay Area Humane Society. He goes directly to the nearest cat, picks it up, talks to it and pets it. And then moves to the next one. And the next.

“Most of them, they just want attention,” says Lauerman, 69, who volunteered 734 hours in the past year helping the center’s felines find homes.

Lauerman is one of the seven community volunteers recognized in Press-Gazette Media’s Seven Days of Giving campaign that highlights people who donate time and talents throughout the year.

“He has some kind of connection with the cats,” said Brittany Meister, volunteer and education coordinator for the Humane Society. “No matter what cat it is, he can get it out of the cage and get them comfortable. It doesn’t matter if the cat is crabby or not.”

In two small rooms, selected cats roam freely. In another, they are in cages. They all get visits multiple times a day from Lauerman. They rub their heads against his face as he picks them up, offer their bellies for fluffing and arch their backs for a good scritch.

“I sense their neediness for attention and I’m quite willing to accommodate them,” he said. “They’ll come running if they see me. They are aware I’m the treat man.”

He simplifies. There is more to Lauerman’s attention than just unruffling fur. He’s learning their personalities and overcoming their fears. And when people come in to adopt, he’s the matchmaker.

In 2011, the center had 1,321 cat adoptions. So far in 2012, during which Lauerman was a volunteer, there have been 1,601 cat adoptions.

“He finds the right individual for each cat,” Mesiter said.

In an oversized recipe box, Lauerman carries biographies of favorite cats that passed through the Humane Society in the past year. There are 120 or so slips of paper in the box. He has more at home.

“I get to know the personalities of each one,” he said. “I’m happy when they get a good home, but it’s always painful for me when I say goodbye.”

The list includes Big Eyes, “a real sweet” blind cat, Momma, who liked to lick his bald head, and Scat Cat, a “huge” tiger cat adopted by one of Lauerman’s former Spanish students.

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Lauerman has two master’s degrees and a doctorate in Spanish education. He taught at Premontre High School, Notre Dame Academy, St. Norbert College and other places. He travels to Spain frequently to do research and returned Dec. 15 after several weeks there, where he befriended two local cats.

Lauerman doesn’t take a position on whether gatos understand English. Cats understand what cats care about.

“They are just interested if you pet them and give them food. It’s international,” he said.

Lauerman had cats as a youngster, but from college through last year, life took him in other directions. He’s not allowed to have cats where he lives, so he decided to volunteer at the Humane Society. They were glad to have him.

He’s one of three volunteers who work with the cats, and when he’s not in Spain, he’s at the center the most often.

“Even the public asks, ‘where is that nice gentleman named Terry?’ We are all concerned when he’s not around,” Meister said.

When he’s in town, Lauerman comes in six days a week, dispensing treats. And getting them in return.